Geoff - my only advice would be to create real "back-up" for your business.

Several times I've seen small agencies field a very strong / senior person (brought in especially for the meeting) or a person that knows the clients' industry very well. This presence adds enourmous weight to your offering. The person need not be on your payroll... but they do genuinely need to be available to you should the proverbial "shit hit the fan". Sometimes they have been "retired" or chairman types...

They bring: credibility, assurance and experience.... which may be qaulities that the cleint need to have reinforced...........

Good luck!

Barney

On 11:17:32 12 September 2002 geoffchoo wrote:
>Picture this scenario. You're in a meeting with a really
>important prospect. You begin your well-rehersed sales
>pitch.
>
>The prospect looks unconvinced and makes just one comment:
>"I like what you're saying, but I don't know...I
>don't know if I can trust my mission-critical project to
>you. This project can make or break my business. I need to
>know that you can deliver what you're promising me."
>What do you say at this point?
>
>This is a common situation faced my most consultants when
>meeting with a client for the first time. I'll like to
>hear what strategies and practive you use to earn trust
>from your customers, especially in these times of fear,
>distrust and cynicism.
>
>Is it what you say, how you act, or what you show to the
>client. How important are the little things and what are
>these little things. In other words, how do you walk the
>talk?
>
>cheers, geoff
>